By Chinyere Anyanwu [email protected]
Key players in Nigeria’s maize value chain have pointed out that collaboration and stakeholders’ involvement are critical to achieving the country’s commercial maize transformation.
They stated this at the fifth edition of the Nigeria Maize Conference organised by Bayer in collaboration with the Maize Association of Nigeria, with the theme, “Much More Maize: Engaging Stakeholders for a Sustainable Maize Value Chain”.
Speaking at the event, which attracted renowned experts, industry leaders, government officials, farmers and other stakeholders dedicated to promoting the growth and development of the maize industry, Country Sales Manager, Bayer Nigeria Limited, Temitope Banjo, said the conference was a platform for interaction and networking among growers, aggregators, processors, industry professionals and policymakers.
Banjo said, “our efforts are focused on fostering collaboration, providing innovative solutions and driving positive change across the entire agricultural value chain.’’
Chairman of the conference and President of the Maize Association of Nigeria, Dr. Bello Abubakar, stressed the importance of collaboration for commercial growth and development.
He stated that the Maize Association of Nigeria has actively collaborated with the government, Bayer and other partners in supporting Nigeria maize farmers with inputs (seeds, herbicides and insecticides) and agronomic services, adding that this cooperation has created employment opportunities, bridged the gap between input suppliers and farmers, and transformed rural economies.
He highlighted that joint cooperative effort among key stakeholders in the industry led to the Federal Government’s establishment of the Anchor Borrowers Scheme (ABS), championed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). This scheme, thus far, has successfully narrowed the gap between production and supply, ultimately making Nigeria the leading maize producer in the region, surpassing South Africa, Ethiopia and Egypt.
Also, the interim coordinator of Nigeria Commodity Exchange, Elenwor Ihua, noted that, “maize is one of the focal commodities of the exchange and the bulk of its trade in recent times has been on maize. Moreover, over 80 per cent of maize traded by the exchange is to agro-feed millers and poultry farmers.”
One of the highlights of the event was the relaunch of DEKALB Hybrid Maize Seed, an innovative high-performance hybrid maize seed that provides exceptional yields and quality for maize growers.
Sales Manager, Bayer Country, Mr. Banjo stated: “Bayer remains committed to building on the momentum generated during this event. We will continue to work closely with stakeholders, supporting the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, promoting knowledge sharing, and fostering collaboration to create a resilient and inclusive maize value chain.”
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of healthcare and nutrition.